Faith in the Dead
by Alastair
Summary: It's hard to let go of something you lose, but even more so when it's the person you love. LxN. This is a contest fic between Confession68 and me. Make sure you read both. She'll be posting hers at the same time.


_This, unfortunately, was not an idea spawned solely from my mind, but Confession68's. She listened to some sappy song (see her A/N on this), and basically thought "what if Luffy came back as a ghost" and was trying to sell it as an RP. I told her it wouldn't work, she agreed, and we eventually came to the conclusion that we should fight about it. Thus, here is my entry to our own little contest. Please read hers too since we're posting at the same time._

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**Faith in the Dead**

"Hey, Nami?" He tilted his head when she didn't look up from her desk.

Luffy walked up behind her to tap her shoulder.

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He was on the deck. Luffy stared ahead at nothing, confused before he turned about, getting up from lying on the grass, "Huh …?"

His face broke into a grin when he saw his hat lying on the deck, and he reached out for it, but the wind lifted it up, blowing it over to Zoro's feet. Zoro reached down to pick it up.

"Ah, thanks, Zoro! Pass it here!" Turning around, the swordsman ignored him, leaving with the hat, and Luffy frowned, rising to go after him, "Oi!"

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Luffy looked up at the sky, and tilted his head to the other side before looking over toward the slide where Nami was seated at the end as if she had gone down, and not bothered to rise again. Starting to smile, he went over to her, seeing that she had his hat. "Nami! When'd"

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"you get my ha … t?" Blinking, he stared at the mirror in front of him before slowly turning to see Nami on her bed. "Na"

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"mi?"

Twitching, he looked up to see the slide where Nami was sitting again. Had she gone down the slide again, or had she never moved?

"Hey … Nami, what're you doing there?" His brow furrowed, "And … where's my hat?" It started to rain, and he raised his hand to feel it, not remembering that there had been clouds in the sky. Luffy stared at his hand after he raised it up, lips parting bit by bit. "Nami … som"

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"ething's wrong."

"I know. When she just sits there like that, my heart breaks a thousand times, and each of those pieces shatter a thousand more times. Pretty soon, my heart will be dust to flutter away in the wind." Sanji sighed, blowing smoke out of his mouth, and for a moment, Luffy thought it was Sanji's powdered heart. "How I wi"

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Luffy walked about in the bathroom, wondering how he had gotten there. When he looked at the mirror at the other end of the room, he had an inkling that something was wrong. He headed for the mirror.

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"Shh! Here she comes!"

"Hey, Nami!" Usopp smiled, waving to her, "How're you doing?"

Luffy beamed as well, looking up from where Usopp and Chopper had been huddled, "Hi, Nami!"

"Oh, I'm fine," she smiled a bit. Nami looked sad though, and Luffy frowned when he saw his hat hanging from her neck on her back.

"Hey! You swiped my hat!"

She looked up at Usopp, "So what're you guys doing?"

"Just playing cards. You wanna play? Maybe you can win some cash off us, and it could be part of our payment for the month."

"No way." She smiled, looking a bit more like herself, "If I win money from you, I've won it fair and square. It won't be part of the payment!"

Luffy pouted, bunching his lips, "Aw, man! I still owe you way too much."

"You're getting to be like yourself again, Nami!" Chopper smiled, hopping a bit before he covered his mouth with his hooves, "Oh, yeah … I'm sorry, Nami! Do"

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Sitting at the table, he grinned, rubbing his hands together as Sanji served the table with a warm smile for Nami. He noted his straw hat on her head, and scowled, "Nami! Where'd you get that from!?"

"Shut up, idiots, and eat," Sanji said, lightly bopping Usopp on the head with his shoe before putting his plate before him.

Luffy stretched his arm out when Nami ignored him, and his hand passed through the leg of meat he had tried to grab. He stared at this, confused before he tried it again.

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Nami stood up from the end of the slide to chase after Chopper with a laugh through the snow, "That's my scarf! Come on, it's too cold out!"

Luffy tilted his head at the sight of his hat hanging from her neck, "Nami? When'd you grab my hat?"

"Nami-swan! Your hot cocoa is ready!"

She looked behind Luffy to smile at Sanji, "I'll be right over." As she straightened, she walked over only to hesitate in front of Luffy, and he crossed his arms with a pouting frown for her.

"Okay, Nami, hand it over." Only, she was looking at his feet, and he looked down as well before up at her again, "Hey, I'm talking to _you_, you know! I know you're my girl, but that's my hat too, and … and haven't you been wearing it a while? I mean …" He tried to concentrate on what he was saying, "You've been wearing it for a while … yeah, you have been!"

"Sanji-kun," she said softly, putting a mittened hand to her head.

Glancing up, he approached her with a smile, "What is it, my darling dove?"

She held her hand up to stop him from walking into Luffy though her arms went through his chest. Luffy gaped down at this, feeling the beginnings of shock course though him. Nami said, "Look down."

Sanji glanced down before looking up at her again, "What is it?"

"Where did those footprints come fr"

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"ked. I still can't believe it," Robin brushed her hair slowly, looking at Nami in the mirror, and Luffy shivered, rubbing his arms.

"Was it cold in here? … Nah, it's warm … but I was cold …"

"The snow was clear all around them," Nami whispered, clutching to his hat. She looked frightened, and Luffy frowned in concern, "I didn't see anyone just jumping …"

Smiling, he walked over. When the floor creaked, Nami and Robin looked up sharply, blinking in confusion as they looked about the room. Luffy reached for the hat, picking it up, and putting it securely on Nami's head, "Okay, Nami, you can keep it awhile."

She stared ahead at nothing, through him until her eyes slowly went to meet with Robin's, and Nami trembled, "Robin … did you s"

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It was dark, and he walked about the room, peering into the bunks to find his. He bumped into Chopper's, and he fell out with a grunt. Sitting up, Chopper rubbed his eye with a pout in the darkness. Chuckling, Luffy crouched down to pick him up, and tucked him back into his bunk, "Sorry, Chopper. Sleep tight."

"Mm," he mumbled, curling up in his small state. "Thanks, Luffy …"

Usopp sat up a bit, "Chopper? You okay?"

He blinked, rubbing his eyes again, "Hmm? Yeah …" Abruptly, he sat up straight, "Aaah! Luffy! I heard Luffy!"

Nami suddenly shrieked above them in the girls' room, and the others awoke to move with Luffy, Chopper and Usopp, going out onto the deck.

"Nami!?" Luffy ran to the door, knocking on it, but his fist went right through, and he gaped. "What the …?"

The door burst open, and Nami stood there, clutching his hat to her head with tears in her eyes. He backed away rapidly as she went out onto the deck, "It moved! It moved all on its own! Robin saw it too! Tell them you saw it!"

"What moved?" Franky said. "What'd you scream for?"

"His hat. I had it on my lap, and then it – it floated up onto my head!"

Luffy beamed, "Ooh!? That's cool, Nami! Did you learn some new wind trick or something!?"

"That's impossible," Usopp said, waving it off with a smile until he looked up at a perturbed Robin, "That's … impossible … right!? Right, Franky? Zoro? Sanji!"

"Nami-san, are you all right?"

Pouting, Luffy picked his nose, "Oi, what's the big deal? Floating stuff's cool!"

"Aah, my heart is racing … Oh, but I don't have one! Yohoho!"

"Stuff it!" Sanji snapped before turning to clutch at Nami's shaking hand. "Nami-san, I can make you a cup of tea to cool your nerves. Please …"

"Oi, Sanji," Luffy frowned, "don't be fresh with her."

"Some tea … yes, that'd be nice," she said as Sanji wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Nami! What're you doing?" He scowled, stepping forward, "Sanji, get your hands off her!" He blinked when they ignored him, "Hey! I'm talking to you guys! Listen to me!"

While the group began to disperse to head for the kitchen, Luffy felt rooted to the spot, feeling something familiar coming on as they walked away. Chopper looked up, and said, "I … I think I heard Luffy just before I woke up … maybe it was just a dream though."

"Chopper! I'm right here! I put you back in bed! I'm here! Nami! Sanji! You can't just do that right in front of me!" His feet felt glued to the deck, and he tried to lift his knees to follow, "Oi! Oi! Stop ignoring me! I'm right her"

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"e!"

Gasping softly, Luffy's chest heaved, staring at Nami sitting on the slide again with his hat on her head. She seemed troubled.

"Nn … Nami? I"

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"can"

She smiled at Zoro, snatching a berry bill out of his hand.

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"'t seem to"

Sanji handed Nami a cup of tea, stroking her hand when their fingers touched in the pass.

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"control a"

"oying me!" She shouted, slamming the door in Brook's face.

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"nthing!"

He panted hard, staring into the vanity mirror which was where he found himself to be standing. Luffy clung to its frame, trying to imprint into his mind that something was off. He tried to remember what that was.

"There's a mirror here," he said, staring into it as he tried not to look at anything else except into the reflective surface. "That's Nami's desk in it. There's hers and Robin's beds. The dressers. Where am I?"

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Luffy looked into his hands – legs crossed as he was seated on _Sunny_'s head. He slowly rose, and turned to get onto the deck where he could see the others starting a little lunch party.

"Guys …?"

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Nami was sleeping soundly in her bed, even smiling a bit, and Luffy began to shake, biting his lip as he felt tears in his eyes, "What is this …? Why's it feel so long since I've seen you? Nami …"

The floor creaked, and Robin stirred, looking up as Luffy knelt in front of Nami. She watched a while, blinking slowly before she got up.

"Robin?" He gazed up at her, blushing a bit when he realized she was in a clingy negligee. She pulled Nami's blanket up higher to tuck her in, her arms going through Luffy, and he sniffed, trying to wipe away his tears, "Robin … Can't you see me? I'm right here … Please, look at me …"

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He was standing before Nami's empty bed, and he stared down at it before slowly turning around to see her at her vanity. The hat was sitting on it while she brushed her hair. Her eyes were closed, and he bit his tongue to quell his gasp. She seemed so intoxicating – enthralled with the soothing action of brushing her hair.

Feeling tears well up in his eyes, he thudded to his knees, "Nami …"

Sucking in her breath, her eyes shot open, turning to face him before she shrieked.

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Luffy stared out at the sea. All he could see was the look of terror on her face though. It stuck there in his mind. He could still see how her pupils had dilated in abject fear.

"Luffy …?" Twitching, he looked back over his shoulder. She was on the slide again – there at the bottom where it seemed she would always remain. Nami bit her lip, crying into his hat, "Why did you come back? I'm moving on. I am. I can do this … even if you're not here."

His brow creased, and he slowly headed for her, "I'm here … I'll always come back to you. Let me help you."

"Please, don't come back again."

He froze, staring at her before swallowing nothing, and reaching down to touch her wet face, but his hand passed through her. His chest constricted, and he clenched his teeth, feeling sudden agony.

"Why can't I touch you? Why can't you see me!? Nami, if you can hear me, please, look at me! I'm right here! Don't forget about me, please! Nam"

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"i, I …" he crumpled to his knees, and punched the kitchen floor, making a hole, "Damn it!" Nami screamed, standing up from her seat, and gaping at the hole. His eyes widened, glancing from her to the hole in his own shock. As the crew moved around him and the hole, he rose, and backed away from it, "Ah! I'm sorry! I – I didn't mean to! Nami – Nami, stop, please …"

She burst into tears then, clutching to Robin's arm when she joined her side, and he realized their eyes hadn't moved with him, but stayed on the hole.

Usopp said, shaking, "You – you – you don't think it's a – a poltergeist, do you?"

"Luffy isn't …" Nami bit her lip, sniffing before she turned her face away. "He wouldn't do that."

Frowning softly, Luffy glanced about at their faces. From Brook's trembling jawbone to Zoro's deeply turned down brows, he began to think that perhaps there was something that he was missing. He said, "Poltergeist?"

The crew froze, Brook's jawbone dropping further than he'd ever seen it, and Chopper screamed, starting to run in circles around Zoro as he grasped a katana. "What the hell!?"

"Luffy … Luffy?" Nami looked up, her eyes searching through the room, though she was shaking.

"Yeah! Nami! Can you hear me now!? Can you see me!?" He felt relieved tears fall down his cheeks, "Nami! Guys!"

"Luffy?" Her voice weakened, still looking about. "Why …?"

Usopp shook, starting to back out of the room, "This is freaking me out! He can't be back!"

"You … you can't be here," Nami said, turning to Robin's shoulder again. "You have to stop … coming back … You're scaring us …"

"I'm … I'm right here …" They didn't seem to be hearing him again, and his tears began to feel more bitter, shaking hard. "I'm here! I'm not … I'm not dead! I'm here! I'm right here! I'm not any ghost or nothing! I'm not … I'm not nothing! Look at me!"

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Luffy hiccupped, wiping his tears as he stared into the mirror in the bathroom, and he clenched his teeth hard. "I'm not … I touched the floor … I tucked Chopper in his bed. I put my hat on your head, Nami … I can't be …"

Sniffing, he turned away from the empty mirror to head for the door only to stop at the sight of Nami entering, and shutting the door behind her. She walked right through him, and he turned to watch her wash her face. She looked tired, and her cheeks had been crusted with dried tears. Recalling her words from before, he backed away until his back hit the door, and he froze when she hunched her shoulders.

"He – hey …" He felt the hard surface of the wood door, feeling blood rush out of his tear-stricken face as Nami slowly turned around, "L – look, Nami, I ain't trying to scare you … Please, don't scream, please …"

She dried her face with a towel after a moment, looking up at him again, "Is someone there? I'll be out in a minute."

Luffy blinked, gazing at her as she turned off the faucet, and then faced him, hand going through him to open the door. When no one was on the other side, she shut the door quickly, her back going rigid as her face tried on fear again.

"No … no, no …"

Biting his lip, he lowered his head, not wanting to see her face, "I … am … d"

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"ead."

He looked up at Sanji cooking in the kitchen. His hands seemed slower than usual, and Luffy's fists clenched on top of the table at which he was sitting.

"I thought we were doing pretty well, considering … everything," he said softly.

Zoro said from the door, "We thought he was completely gone."

"Why's he sticking around though …? Hell, he was smiling at the damn stand in Loguetown! He _died_ smiling!" Sanji whispered harshly – hands quickened. "I always thought that maybe he thought he'd go on and do other fun things in death. Get reborn or something else he'd enjoy doing."

"Maybe he thought death was a joke," he said. Luffy realized that his face was completely blank, and he was clutching at the handle of his Wado.

"I'm sorry," he said, but they didn't even twitch.

"Well, it's not funny," Sanji pulled away from his bisque, running his hand through his hair before he groaned, and went to the sink to wash his hands. "Shit … Nami-san's still so scared, and Robin-chan's been beside herself. I'm even worrying about that rude skeleton! He's been finding all the crosses he can, and stockpiling 'em into his locker."

"I'm sorry … I can't do"

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"anyth"

Usopp patted the end of a tobasco bottle to shake the sauce onto a rice ball.

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"ing"

Chopper sniffled to himself alone in the med bay.

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"about this though."

Swallowing hard, he wiped his eyes again, looking up to see Robin reading a book. Standing from the library's couch, he slowly approached her, not wanting to scare the woman. Luffy sat across the table from her, crossing his arms on the surface, and laying his chin down on them to watch her.

"You're smart, Robin … tell me how to stop scaring Nami. I don't want to do it anymore."

!#$%^&*()_+

He was in the bathroom

Paling slightly, he looked up to see Nami washing her hands, and he began to back up to the door again, "Why …?"

Turning to the shut door, he started to try going through it, but was stopped by the wood. He reached for the doorknob, but his hand passed through, and he gaped at this, attempting to go through the door again, but failing.

"No …" He glanced back at Nami who turned off the faucet. "No! I don't want to scare her!" Luffy pounded on the door with his fists, "Let me out! Let me out! Please, don't!"

"I'm almost done! Quit pounding on the door!" Nami scowled through him, and he stopped, feeling chilled.

"Damn it! Why …"

Frowning softly when no one else answered, Nami's eyes started to widen, "Who's there?"

"Nami, I'm sorry! I'm not trying to scare you! Please, don't get scared!"

"Who's there?" She said a bit louder.

"Nami, it's me, Luffy!"

Biting her lip, she inched toward the door to put her hand on the door, going through Luffy's chest, and he froze, starting to shake and sob. "Hello …?"

"Why …? Why …!? Nami, don't scream … don't be scared! I'm … I'm right here, and – and I'd never hurt you." He reached his hand up to try touching her face, but he couldn't feel it – much like the arm through his chest. "Don't be afraid … I'll try not to scare you no more …"

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Luffy rolled over in the grass deck, raising his head a bit before sighing, and letting his head flop back down, "Why …"

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In the dining room, the crew was sitting down to eat, and Luffy started to smile at the meal that Sanji was setting out. Lifting his head up then, he glanced over to see Nami eating a bit slowly. Sanji smiled at her, giving her a glass of lemonade.

"Sweetest angel," he said, "you must keep up your strength."

"Did you guys … hear any pounding in the bathroom this morning?"

He blinked, straightening, "Ah?"

"Nami …" Luffy lowered his head as Chopper said, "Did you hear Luffy again? Was it him?"

"I don't know …" She said, her hand with the spoon shaking a bit, "Some … thing just kept pounding and pounding on the door … I was too scared to open the door to see."

Luffy smiled a bit, "I was right by your side though … I'm sorry I scared you, Nami."

"I wish … _it_ would just stop."

His chest ached as his shoulders lowered a bit, "Oh … you can't hear me again … right … Sorry, Nami."

Zoro scowled when Sanji dropped the spoon into the soup bowl in front of him, grunting, "Watch it … Hey, Nami, next time it happens, just call for one of us, okay? This ain't no ghost ship and you kn"

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Nami was naked. He stared at her, flushing straight to his roots. Luffy had lain with her before, but the sight of all that smooth skin stole his breath even though he didn't need it.

His eyes trailed down her soft, plump breasts and hips before focusing on the slight bump that was her lower abdomen.

"Huh?"

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He gaped at the weights while Zoro lifted them, doing his workout. Luffy clenched his teeth, and hands, making tight fists.

"She's p"

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"regnant?"

He blinked, feeling a tear roll down his cheek, seeing her sunning in her lounge chair – an icy drink at her elbow. Shaking, Luffy rose to reach out to her stomach before he clenched his teeth, and pulled his hand away.

"Nami … You didn't … It can't be …"

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Sniffling hard, he watched as Sanji quickly put out his cigarette, waving the smoke away when Nami entered the kitchen.

She smiled lightly, touching her little belly. "Can I get a snack?"

"Ah, my swee"

!#$%^&*()_+

Luffy gazed down at her in her bed before he sighed, and lowered his head, starting to pace the room. The creaking in the floor made Nami and Robin stir, and he eventually stopped walking.

"It's just always going to be like this, isn't it?"

"Do you think it was the ship?" Nami said, sitting up as she cupped her belly.

"I'm gonna just walk around."

Robin said, "The ship doesn't make noises like that."

"You won't see me, won't feel me, won't hear me … It's cause of that thing, isn't it!?" His back thudded against the door as he leaned on it, and the two jumped slightly, staring at it. Luffy stared at her stomach.

After a while, Nami swallowed nothing, and said, "Luffy …?"

Sighing, he said, "Can yo"

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"u hear …" Luffy twitched, clenching his teeth as he stared at the mast of the ship. "Damn it! No!"

Seeing the picnic table out on the grass deck, he reached out to slam his fists onto it, only to go through it.

"Nami! Why'd you do it!? I'm here! I'm – I'm right here, and you're forgetting me already!"

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"How long's it been!?"

He punched the wall, leaving a hole, and Usopp leapt away with a yelp.

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"When did"

Nami beamed at herself in the mirror, framing her belly with her hands.

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"you f"

Usopp stared at Nami's face, sweating nervously, "orry"

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"or"

Chopper listened in his stethoscope with the other end against her growing belly, "kay."

"!#$%^&*()_+

get about me!?"

Panting hard, he clung to the table where Franky was chatting with Brook, and then lifted it up to smash back into the floor.

"Yaaaaaggh!" Brook screamed, backing away from the ruined table, "What – what – what was that!?"

Turning, Luffy planted his fists into the door, "Can't touch her! Can't talk t"

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"o her, and now this!" He looked up at her as she rising from her vanity, wearing only panties and a bra, and he started slamming on it, "How could you!?"

She screamed, backing away, and clinging to the vanity counter, "Robin!? Zoro! Help! Sanji-kun!"

He snarled, "_No_ _Sanji-kun_!"

Bursting into the room, Zoro unsheathed his blades, but he passed right through Luffy as he stood before her, "What is it!? Is he back!?"

"At the door!"

Luffy slammed it shut, "And not you either. It should've been mine."

Someone slammed on the door from the outside, "Oi! Shit for brains, let me in! Unlock the door!"

"I won't let you in! Not ever!"

"It's not locked …" Nami's pupils dilated, tears streaming down her cheeks, and her voice was shrill, "Sanji-kun, it's not locked!"

Luffy bit his lip hard, stepping toward her, "You're mine, and the baby should've been mine too, Nami!"

"Luffy!?" Zoro whirled to face the door, but his eyes kept moving, and Luffy kept walking, going through him. He grabbed the blade Zoro still had hanging at his side, and unsheathed it. "Shit! Nami!"

"Get out!" Luffy swung at Zoro.

!#$%^&*()_+

Luffy looked up in the dark, blinking before he glanced side to side. Nami padded out of her room, yawning as she covered her hand. She was wearing a long, thick nightgown. It was nothing like what she used to wear for him.

The little teddies and the slips which clung to her dips and curves would never fit around her stomach, however.

She looked out over the deck as she passed, but then froze, staring directly at him.

"Luffy …"

Grinding his teeth, he said, "What is that thing? You forget about me already!? I'm going to crush Sanji's balls!"

"Sanji-kun?" Her eyes widened in shock, hand covering her belly, "Luffy, i"

!#$%^&*()_+

Sanji was putting drinks onto a platter, and Luffy punched his face, slipping through him, and falling to the floor.

"Damn it!" Luffy banged on the counter, but Sanji didn't even twitch as he added a pinch of cinnamon on top of one of the drinks. Scowling, he raised his fists to try crushing a glass or slapping the tray away, but every swing met with nothing, so he punched the counters, but Sanji remained unaware.

!#$%^&*()_+

Panting, and wiping at teary eyes, he knelt before Nami's bed, and reached up to touch her stomach as she slept, but he went right through her.

"Damn it …" Sniffing, he laid his head on the bed, feeling sore and tired as his chest heaved and sobbed. "No …" She stirred on the bed, and he gazed up at her as he wiped his tears. Her eyes were open, looking through his head, and his brow creased as he felt more streams form down his cheeks. "Why'd you forget about me …?"

"Luffy?" He blinked, suddenly realizing that her eyes were on his.

She bit her lip, and Luffy wanted to bite and tenderly chew it as well though he was angry, "Why'd you do it? How long did it take to forget me, Nami?"

"Luffy … it's only been five months. It's-"

"No! How could you!? I die, and you just move on to Sanji!? No! No, no, no, no!"

"Luffy!"

Sitting up with a gasp, Robin stared at her, "Nami-chan?"

"Why so quick to forget me!? You wanted him this whole time!?"

"Hey, what's going on in there!?" Zoro started pounding on the door, and then tried the doorknob, "Damn it, I told you to keep this unlocked!"

Beginning to sob, Nami wrung the sheets, "Luffy, it's yours! It's not Sanji-kun's!"

"Liar!" The walls and floors began to creak, and Nami shook hard, clinging to her belly. Robin jumped to her feet, going to Nami's side to embrace her gently.

"It's all right."

"It's not him. Can't be Luffy …"

Zoro pounded harder, "Luffy! Is that you!? Let me in!"

"Maybe it's Zoro's, huh?"

"You shit for brains! Luffy, let us in!"

The wood groaned louder, "Zoro was sure quick to come running up here, wasn't he?"

"It's not Zoro's! It's not Sanji-kun's! Please, stop! You're not Luffy!"

Usopp shouted through the door with the others, "Oi! What a"

!#$%^&*()_+

Seething, and panting, Luffy clenched his teeth, lowering his forehead to the ground as his nails scraped down the wood deck.

"Li"

!#$%^&*()_+

"ar. You're lying to me …" He looked up at her bathing in the huge tub, and started to inch toward her.

Luffy grasped the tub, and tried to shake it, but to no avail.

"Why're you lying to me …? Five months … you forgot about me right away …!" His chest heaved, and he clutched at it, wringing his hand over it, "Why's it hurt so much if I'm dead …? Didn't I treat you right? Wasn't I your … only one? You were mine …"

!#$%^&*()_+

"Why can't the baby be mine too?" He blinked, looking up to see Franky making a crib. The cyborg was painting it a bright red, and Luffy crept toward it to look over it with a frown.

He kicked the paint can over, and Franky grunted, frowning at it, "Ah!? Damn it."

Luffy sighed, and poked the crib, causing it to rock back and forth soundlessly. For a moment, he admired the silence. Had the baby been his, it would have slept peacefully. At the sound of a soft gasp, he looked up at Franky who was gaping at the rocking crib, and at his feet. Looking down, Luffy stepped back only to realize that the spilled paint had formed around his feet.

"Straw hat … you there?"

Starting to scowl, Luffy stamped his foot, splattering some paint, "Damn straight I am! What're you doing making this crib for their baby!? I'm still here! I can see everything that's going on!"

"Oi, oi, don't spray paint on me," Franky said, rising to back up a bit. "I don't know what your problem is, but that girl's been through hell with you gone!"

"What's Hell!?" Picking up the paint can, he chucked it at the wall, "I can't even touch her! What's Hell to you!?"

"Eegh!? Oi! I get it! I get it! You're dead!" Franky looked around wildly as if he could spot him, and Luffy snorted, figuring that he couldn't hear him either. "It's gotta suck for you too, but what's she supposed to do when she can't even raise the baby with you? You're not just dead, you're _gone_."

Luffy cringed slightly, shoving the crib to the floor.

"Or we thought you were …" He clenched a large fist, and lifted it to cover his face, thick gobs of snot coming out his nose as he cried behind his sunglasses, "I'm not crying! You're not making me cry, you bastard! What're we supposed to do!?" He sniffed hard enough to snort before he continued. "We can't rely on you anymore! We can't rely on a dead man! You can't keep coming back! You have to go wherever you're supposed to!"

Luffy twitched, staring at him, "Raise the baby with me …? Why would I raise it with her? It's not …" He bit his lip, feeling Franky's tears draw out his own, "I have a right to know, don't I? Even dead …"

!#$%^&*()_+

Luffy's face contorted into anger at the sight of Sanji lighting a cigarette on the grassy deck. He inhaled, and then exhaled, and Luffy thought it was his powdered heart again. Reaching over, Luffy wrestled him to the ground, sitting on his chest to strangle his throat.

"You touched her …!"

Struggling against him, one of Sanji's hands tried to wring his hands off his neck while the other attempted shoving him off, "Kkgh!"

"You touched her, damn you! Nami was mine! She was mine, and the baby should be mine too!"

Sanji punched him.

Blinking, Luffy looked up at the night sky before Sanji slammed his shoe down onto Luffy's neck to light his cigarette again before blowing out smoke. He said, "You piece of shit. We've been trying to tell you over and over again. It's yours. I don't know how you started thinking it wasn't, but that's all you in her."

Luffy gasped slightly, trying to push up on the shoe, but found whatever strength he had as a ghost had dissipated, "Can't …control when I go …"

"There you are then. Well, Luffy," he finally looked down at him, "as much as I wish it weren't so, you're the father of Nami-san's baby, you lucky pi"

!#$%^&*()_+

"getting so big now!" Chopper beamed, his stethoscope against Nami's girth, and Luffy stared at the two, noticing how happy they were.

His fist clenched until she said, "Luffy would think I was fat …"

"No, he wouldn't!" Chopper pouted up at her, waving his hooves, "Luffy'd want to play with his human baby right away!"

Gaping, his eyes bulged before the corners of his lips began to turn upward.

!#$%^&*()_+

Finding himself sitting in the shower, he pulled the curtain back, looking out with a smile, "N"

!#$%^&*()_+

"ami? …" He pouted at the sight of Brook, Chopper and Usopp playing tag, having a sudden urge to join them.

"Yo"

!#$%^&*()_+

"wait to show someone!" Usopp held his kabuto out proudly, admiring it in his grasp before it slowly lowered, and he fingered the handle, "Maybe … I'll get to tell Luffy when we get back to his shrine …"

Luffy blinked, scratching his cheek before he smiled a bit, "I got a shrine, huh?"

Beaming, Usopp held up the weapon again as if even prouder, "Back to Raftel!"

!#$%^&*()_+

He looked up into the mirror, squinting and looking for himself before his eyes lowered. They caught onto Nami in the tub, however, and he slowly turned to face her before he approached. His fingertips went through her cheek, but he feigned embracing her, arms looped around her shoulders loosely.

Luffy looked down at the extension of her belly before he smiled, and hovered his hand over it as if he were stroking it tenderly.

"I'm sorry, Nami …"

Nami twitched slightly, stirring from lounging in the tub, and she looked about before she sighed, relaxing once more with a smile on her lips.

!#$%^&*()_+

"Hm? Ooh!" He ran over to join Nami's side as she waddled down the deck stairs. His hands hovered unsurely about her, not wanting to scare her in case he was solid. She was easily twice as large as he'd last seen her.

"Nami-swan!"

"I don't feel like a swan," she huffed, pouting at Robin when she giggled. "It's not funny! Do you know how swollen my feet are!?"

Groaning, Nami gently settled back into her lounge chair, and sighed heavily, bare feet wriggling their toes.

Frowning a bit, he crouched before her feet – which also seemed larger than usual – and inspected them before he grasped one in testing. She gasped slightly, and Luffy slowly smiled, beginning to gently rub the soles of her foot.

"Nami-chan, what is it?"

"Nothing," Nami said before she smiled a bit. "The baby kicked."

!#$%^&*()_+

"Champagne!" Franky uncorked the bottle before he started filling goblets, frowning when Nami didn't touch hers. "Oi, oi, you're not pregnant anymore! That's what the party's about, remember?"

She laughed softly, eyes sparkling bright, "I still have to feed her!"

Nodding, Chopper smiled, "The alcohol would get into her milk supply, and that wouldn't be good for the baby."

"Ah! Even without the fresh, vibrant glow of pregnancy, you shine like a sun's ray, Nami-san!"

The baby started crying then, and Nami sighed, putting down her fork, "I'm coming."

"Nami-san, I could get her for you," Brook said, raising a hand, and she quickly shook her head, waving her hands at him.

"No, no, please, don't get up." _She wouldn't stop crying then! _Halfway up the stairs, the cries abruptly stopped, and Nami paused, blinking up at the door which led into her room. After a moment, she started running up the stairs, "Kaname!"

The cradle was rocking slowly on its own, and Nami shivered, slowly walking toward it.

"Kaname? But that's a gir"

**THE END**


End file.
